Development of a core outcome set for oral health services research involving dependent older adults (DECADE): a study protocol

Sinead Watson; Julie McMullan; Paul Brocklehurst; Georgios Tsakos; Richard G Watt; Rebecca R Wassall; Andrea Sherriff; Sheena E Ramsay; Anup J Karki; Sayaka Tada; Caroline Lappin; Michael Donaldson; Gerald McKenna

doi:10.1186/s13063-020-04531-8

Development of a core outcome set for oral health services research involving dependent older adults (DECADE): a study protocol

Trials. 2020 Jul 1;21(1):599. doi: 10.1186/s13063-020-04531-8.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK. s.watson@qub.ac.uk.
² Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
³ NWORTH Clinical Trials Unit, Bangor University, Bangor, UK.
⁴ Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
⁵ School of Dental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK.
⁶ Glasgow Dental School, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
⁷ Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK.
⁸ Public Health Wales, Cardiff, UK.
⁹ Discipline of Endodontics, Operative Dentistry and Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁰ Community Dental Service, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, Dundonald, UK.
¹¹ Health and Social Care Board, Belfast, UK.

Abstract

Background: Oral healthcare service provision for dependent older adults is often poor. For dental services to provide more responsive and equitable care, evidence-based approaches are needed. To facilitate future research, the development and application of a core outcome set would be beneficial. The aim of this study is to develop a core outcome set for oral health services research involving dependent older adults.

Methods: A multi-step process involving consensus methods and including key stakeholders will be undertaken. This will involve identifying potentially relevant outcomes through a systematic review of previous studies examining the effectiveness of strategies to prevent oral disease in dependent older adults, combined with semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. Stakeholders will include dependent older adults, family members, carers, care-home managers, health professionals, researchers, dental commissioners and policymakers. To condense and prioritise the long list of outcomes generated by the systematic review and semi-structured interviews, a Delphi survey consisting of several rounds with key stakeholders, as mentioned above, will be undertaken. The 9-point Likert scale proposed by the GRADE Working Group will facilitate this consensus process. Following the Delphi survey, a face-to-face consensus meeting with key stakeholders will be conducted where the stakeholders will anonymously vote and decide on what outcomes should be included in the finalised core outcome set.

Discussion: Developing a core set of outcomes that are clinically and patient-centred will help improve the design, conduct and reporting of oral health services research involving dependent older adults, and ultimately strengthen the evidence base for high-quality oral health care for dependent older adults.

Trial registration: The study was registered with the COMET initiative on 9 January 2018 http://www.cometinitiative.org/studies/details/1081?result=true .

Keywords: Aged; Consensus; Delphi technique; Frail elderly; Oral health.

Publication types

Consensus Development Conference

MeSH terms

Age Factors
Aged
Clinical Trials as Topic*
Consensus
Delphi Technique*
Dental Health Services*
Endpoint Determination*
Health Services Research*
Humans
Research Design
Stakeholder Participation
Systematic Reviews as Topic
Treatment Outcome

Grants and funding

RPGF1806/56/DMT_/The Dunhill Medical Trust/United Kingdom